The College of Engineering at KNUST organised a public lecture at the Great Hall on July 25, 2024. The event featured Dr. Ben K. D. Asante, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Gas, who delivered an impactful presentation on "Gas Commercialisation: Fostering a Sustainable Petroleum Economy, Opportunities, and Setbacks."
The lecture, chaired by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Prof. Ellis Owusu-Dabo, on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Rita Akosua Dickson, provided a comprehensive overview of the oil and gas industry’s activities. Dr. Asante shared his extensive experience, which began at TransCanada Energy Corporation in Calgary, Canada, followed by significant tenures at Enron Corporation in the United States and Jacobs Engineering. In 2012, his expertise in the design and operation of oil and gas infrastructure led him back to Ghana to spearhead the installation of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant and its associated pipelines.
In his presentation, Dr. Asante emphasised the importance of developing a master plan, ensuring reliable and sustainable gas supply, building intellectual capacity, and establishing the Gas Act. He elucidated the distinction between gas supply (the commodity) and gas delivery (the infrastructure needed for transport).
Dr. Asante identified key industry players: producers, aggregators, operators, shippers, and end users. He also outlined four critical elements of gas commercialisation: the supply plan, demand plan, infrastructure plan, and gas pricing methodology. Plan enablers include institutional and regulatory frameworks and the Gas Act. Notably, Africa holds significant gas reserves, with Nigeria leading at 205 trillion cubic feet and Ghana ranking 12th with 2.8 trillion cubic feet.
He highlighted several industry challenges, including access to capital, inadequate infrastructure, unattractive fiscal and taxation policies, unclear institutional and regulatory frameworks, ineffective resource management, insufficient local and private sector participation, and a lack of requisite intellectual capacity.
To address these challenges, Dr. Asante recommended developing a framework or roadmap for the oil and gas sector, ensuring clear regulatory and infrastructural frameworks, encouraging private sector participation, providing sustainable and reliable commodity supply, balancing local and export market needs, facilitating access to project capital, and developing effective operation and maintenance protocols.
The lecture concluded with a Q&A session, allowing attendees to engage directly with Dr. Asante.
The event was attended by staff of the Ghana National Gas Company Limited, the Registrar of the College of Engineering, Mrs Ida Saeed, the Dean of the Faculty of Civil and Geo-Engineering, Prof. Kwaku Amaning Agyei, the Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Samuel Pyne, and other distinguished personalities.
Students from Opoku Ware School, St. Louis Senior High School, Kumasi Anglican Senior High School, Prempeh College, Mpasatia Senior High School, Nyinahin Senior High School, KNUST SHS, and Adobewura Community School also participated, enriching their understanding of the gas industry.
